Pete, I've not commented on the Second Amendment right as individual or collective because I don't know and without a consensus, here for sure, we'll have to wait for the courts to make the final decision. Whatever it is, some members feel that "natural law" is supreme.

It's a stretch to declare Canada and me as socialist. Canada, which has never had a socialist federal government, is currently under minority Conservative rule. Preceding governments alternated between Liberals and Conservatives, both more Establishment than ideologically political.

Socialist no longer even means socialist. From today's announcement of Tony Blair's resignation: "During his tenure, Blair skillfully combined the Labour party's left-wing social policies with slightly right-wing economic principles.

"There is only one government since 1945 that can say all of the following: more jobs, fewer unemployed, better health and education results, lower crime and economic growth in every quarter," said Blair. "Only one government -- this one."

Mr. Blair was the master of "triangulation"---talking one way and doing another. It's a politics familiar to Canadians and Americans. I've said in many posts here that labelling people is old-fashioned in different times, in mixed economies.